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Hello
I love your pod cast and I do listen over and over again. I looked into listening to your archives but all I get are the pod cast notes. Is there any way to access them.
Please Keep up the good work you sir are a hoot.

Thanks. You should be able to access the archives by clicking the “Podcast Archives” button on the top of the page there. When you click on the individual episode titles it should direct you to the auto-player. If that’s not working for you, you should be able to access them through iTunes or Blubrry or Podfeed or whatever you use.

Loving the show! Just posted the Pope-ulation episode on FB and already getting hate :P. Really hoping you start weekly episode and you should have a feature where you read out one the death threats you receive just for giggles.

To my surprise, I haven’t started to get the death threats yet, but don’t worry, as soon as I do you’ll hear them. We actually just went to a weekly schedule today so you won’t have to wait long. Glad to hear you’re enjoying it, and I appreciate you helping us spread the word and even at the risk of taking some FB shit…

Viktor

April 4, 2013 at 7:45 PM

Glad to hear the negativity hasn’t got that bad yet! Listening to the new ep, wasted, laughing my arse off! If your in need you’ve got a friend indeed!

Veek.

Anarch919

January 12, 2014 at 4:03 PM

That’s because you’re a coward who concentrates on the most watered down religion in the world and especially in the West where people would probably drop Jesus before they dropped their cable subscription.

I’m an atheist and people like you have always made me sick and quite honestly…a little frightened. You yip yip tip like little dogs behind a fence, being as offensive as possible because you KNOW no one will come after you. So in turn that emboldens you to be even more offensive. And it may be cute…until you get your wish and Christianity dies. Then people will simply replace the old god with a new one and proceed to impale all of us, asshole first.

Well, maybe not all of us, because I’ll pretend to believe…because I’m not a fucking idiot like you.

I prefer Carl Sagan’s approach where as you’re taking Penn Jillette’s with just one huge difference…Jillette’s actually talented and funny. Here’s the bad news. Humanity will always have “gods.” We’re monkeys that talk. We’re not that great. We’re not that smart. And although it can’t be proven, we’re not even that special…probably. So the only way to end religion is to end humanity. And that’s preferable to having a bunch of pompous, smug assholes like you running around.

And in one post I saw you equate “hating gays,” an uncontrollable emotional reaction, with the Holocaust and raping children. Seriously, you’re not as smart as you think you are and with that…never think of yourself in any regard other than low.

I think the babble study is a great idea. Props to the scathing wife. I’ve read most of the beginning, never as an atheist, let alone with other atheists. This should be fun. It would probably do well on its own half hour to an hour.

Fantastic show and very very funny. Keep up the good work. I do admit i cringe a little at some of your comments but i will always be a fan. All my life i have found it absurd that sending a wish to the heavens would have it fulfilled, when Santa was quicker and i could always send it back if it didnt fit.

Thanks for the comments and thanks for listening. To be perfectly honest, even I cringe a little bit sometimes when I listen back to them… And you should hear some of Heath’s stuff that I end up editing out (yes, there’s even a too far for us).

I love the show, and only as a loyal listener do I hope you reconsider the hour long format. You’re awesome to listen to every week, and I don’t want you to either burn yourself out or compromise on the integrity (if there is any) of the show. The scheduled podcasts are great and I look forward to it every week.
Also I’ve got some of my own gripes if you’re ever short of any for a show, not that I think that’s even remotely likely.

We’ll be doing an hour long show this week, but we’re not switching the format for the long term. We just had way too much stuff to fit into a 30 minute show this time around. Thanks for the kind words, though. Any thoughts, ideas or gripes you have would be welcome. I never run out of things to gripe about, but we always welcome more opinions and more voices.

I thought you’d like this story:
My husband and I both have red hair, so it wasn’t overly surprising when we had two redheaded children.
One day, I just couldn’t get rid of the Jehovah Witness guys on my front porch. Just as I was about to close the door, he asked, “Can I at least pray for the souls of your children?”
To which I replied — “They’re gingers. They don’t have souls.”
Hahaha. Love your show.

Ah, for all those times when I wish everyone was Robocop and could thus upload their memories to You-Tube. I guess I’ll have to satisfy myself with an educated assumption of his expression. Thanks for sharing.

And for the record, what an asshole. “Well, if I can’t foist my lies on you, can I at least ask my magical friend to corrupt the minds of your children?”

Dee

May 9, 2013 at 3:06 PM

My response should have been “They already have imaginary friends, and the Ninja Turtles don’t tell them how to live their lives.”

First of all, I want to say how much I love your show. The writing is top-notch and always hilarious. As spring unfolds all around us up here in Ontario, it’s so sad how the wonder of it all is completely lost on strong religious believers, most of whom simply talk about the “beauty of God’s creation” and leave it at that. The whole evolutionary story of migration, for example, – how the hummingbirds that are arriving now have evolved to dash up to Canada to take advantage of the long days and abundant food to raise their young before returning to the tropics – is completely lost on true religious believers (as it is on most people). The education system in general has done an abysmal job teaching the wonder of science and especially evolution, even in relatively secular Canada. Even here, elementary and high school teachers tend to shy away from really giving it the treatment it deserves, out of fear of offending someone and because they don’t understand it themselves. It is one of many ways the religion poisons everything – in this case, a deep appreciation for the natural world. The magic of reality (thanks, Richard Dawkins) is so much more incredible than most of us even come close to appreciating! Keep up your important work, Noah.

Thanks for the comment and, of course, for listening. But more than that, thanks for helping me figure out what to rant about in this week’s diatribe. I’ve been rejecting ideas for a couple of days now and this would be a phenomenal launching-off point. Hell, it’s even seasonal. Sorry to make you my unwitting muse, but I really appreciate the inspiration.

Rick Perry is a one-man wrecking crew against common sense and human decency. If he had to start a fire by rubbing his own brain cells together, he would be SOL.

I mostly *listen* to news via podcast. During the last primary season, I couldn’t understand why anyone would support a guy who sounded like Grover Norquist’s dumber, less responsible, and less empathetic younger brother.

Then I *saw* (or *seen* — to use the proper vernacular for that region of the country) some footage of him. That explained everything. People were listening to him because he looked like the Marlboro Man’s smarter, more responsible, more empathetic older brother.

Way to make me proud, America.

Let’s face it, voting for the really great looking guy only really worked that one time. And even *that* was mostly because LBJ was around to take civil rights to that next level.

Thanks Noah for creating this podcast through which I’ve discovered a whole new atheist world. Both you and Heath are clearly very talented, I hope you reconsider going to an hour format. Keep up the good work.

Thanks Graham. Honestly, I’d love to go an hour with this thing and in a perfect world I’d like to release a ten minute daily cast as well (one headline and a diatribe), but unfortunately real life intrudes on these desires. Who knows… if enough of our listeners share your generosity perhaps one day we’ll be able to make a full time gig of it.

Love your podcast!
I am a recovering christian, 5 years rational so far. I love that you, Heath and Lucinda are reading the bible! There are parts I didn’t even know and I had lost of that book memorized!!!
Love your laughter, love your relationship with your friend and wife, and love the exposure to other rational sites or secular/atheist podcasts.
Only suggestion? I listen on an fm transmitter I can hook to my iPhone and the volume is very very different between the music and voice sets. The music is crystal clear but the speaking parts lack that clarity and are always more muted.
Thank you so so much for all your hard work. I wish I were a great human being and sending you money. Perhaps I’ll light a candle for you – and have sex by its light in your honour.

And thanks for the suggestion on the sound quality as well. We’ve been trying a few different things with the mics to reduce sibilance and we’re trying to find a way to do that without giving the voices that “far off” sound. The generosity of many great humans is really helping and we’ll soon be upgrading our rig (again), so hopefully we can help to clear all of that up.

As a favor, could you tell me if the problem you’re talking about is approximately equal in episodes 13 and 15? Weird question, but I’ve been tweaking our post-production routine a bit and I want to see which method is working better (or if there’s any discernible difference at all).

And thanks again. Not all great humans beings send us money, but most of them at least leave us complimentary comments on the blog (and/or have sex by candlelight in our honor).

Re: sound quality.
I went back to episode 13 and 15. In my opinion, the quality difference was improved in 15. The transition from your voice to the music was much the same in terms of volume and your speaking portions were clear, though 13 wasn’t bad for that aspect either. Loved loved loved the liar lord looney lycanthrope looper…. I love driving with a smile because of you guys!!

Thanks. Yes, I compose (or improvise) and perform all the music for the show. Further evidence that I do my podcast in the most masochistic way possible. But flattered to know that my little amateur musings wind up stuck in your head.

Thank you for putting together such a fantastic podcast. I just recently discovered TSA through Cognitive Dissonance.

The amount of work you put in really shows. I’m not blowing smoke up your ass here, but frankly I find it inspiring. In addition to being thoroughly entertaining the quality of the podcast has got me dusting off my graphics skills and wanting to contribute to the secular movement in my own way.

Anyways, thanks man. I could only send a few bucks but plan to do so regularly.

Wow… Don’t even know what to say except thank you. I can’t imagine a higher compliment to one’s creative endeavor than to here it inspires another creative endeavor.

And thanks a ton for the donation. Every bit helps a lot (you just took care of hosting for 10 days) and we really appreciate it. I’ve been surprised by a lot of things since I started this podcast, but none has overwhelmed me as much as the generosity of our listeners. Truly appreciate it.

The funniest podcast I’ve ever heard. I’m an old fuck, and not used to all this computer stuff, but I just wanted to write that you guys make my day when I see an episode of yours downloaded on my NANO (Is that caps-haha)

Loving the podcast, discovered it a couple weeks ago and might have OD’d on episodes. Now I’m in withdrawal. In any case, found a cool resource that I think you guys would appreciate during your readings: http://www.bibviz.com/. They’ve done an awesome job.

Discovered the podcast a couple weeks ago. I’m digging the acerbic wit and it’s awesome to know there are others who think like I do. Heath’s sarcastic jokes have me cracking up. Great job and keep spreading the good news to everyone.

Hey guys, dont know if I have missed this tidbit of info in the show cause i was laughing to hard… but is there anywhere that we can get some merch from the show? I would LOVE to see the look on my families face wearing one of your t-shirts, and is thers is not, is that something that is in the works??
Keep up the great work guys!

UN—HO—LY cHRIST!! This show is Hilarious!! Had to stop before I spiraled into one of those “Oh crap, I just found the bestest podcast ever!!” earbud O.D. pod-phone sessions.

I took the liberty of taking credi…I mean re-blogging the Adam and Eve story from episode 56.

Don’t have a huge following–I mean, no one reads my blog…or for that matter follows my tweets….and come to think of it no one likes me on Facebook…….SHIT! now I’m depressed……where was I…oh, yeah—my bantam world-wide-web following. My blog is more of a bookmarking system for my brain–since I’ve subcontracted all knowledge and learning out to Google, Wikipedia and search.aol.com….yep they have one…….and they still exist.

Hello from down under! I recently discovered your podcast and love the logic, truths, news reports, bible reviews and inappropriateness. I notice a lot of atheist podcasts address christianity. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions in relation to paganism, new agers, wicca, etc.

The most brilliant Podcast that I listen to weekly! Keep up the good work, and don’t ever stop offending the religious! I come close to crashing my car due to the tears of laughter in my eyes each week while listening to the Podcast! If only Jesus was my co-pilot, I could listen without worrying about killing others. Unfortunately, he doesn’t exist and I have to both navigate my car, and laugh my ass off to your commentary on the current state of society. When I run someone over by accident, I will surely blame you! Cause, ‘God knows’ I can’t take responsibility for my own actions!

I was wondering if you had any suggestions for podcasts that are less diplomatic in their views. While I enjoy the anal rape and eating baby jokes, I do think that they are too subtle and could be turned up a little further.

First, love the podcast! You guys (and gal) do an awesome job venting your moral indignation at repugnant ideologies. Which so richly deserve it. Still can’t believe the “convicted rape victim” from a few podcasts back. Seriously, WTF?

And on that note, is anyone as sick as I am of Pope Francis getting a continual pass for, basically, not being his predecessor, Pope Palpatine? I saw a pic of him recently on HuffPo hugging a guy with boils and getting lavished with praise for that and going after embezzlers at the Vatican bank. Seriously? Those are this asshat’s priorities? Money and fluff? His church has systematically protected child rapists, and paid off the victims families with hush money instead of turning over the predators to the authorities, and Francis’ time is spent doing photo ops and vomiting up nice platitudes about loving the poor? It really makes me a bit ill, and I can only imagine how the rape victims and don’t think anyone wants to live in a sh*thole. loved ones must feel at this wanna-be gilded version of Joel Osteen (without the teeth) ignoring their asses. And people just respond with, “oh you can’t expect the church to change overnight”. Really? How long should the victims wait? If one of those priests raped your kid, how patient would you be? It just boggles my mind.

Omg i love your podcast!!!!! Especially the diatribe: ) i wish i could turn it up full blast and make the sheeple at work listen to you. They would SHIT. Of course they would thank me later for deprogramming them. “The truth will set you free but first it will piss you off” Gloria Steinem. Thanks, Jennifer

Love the show!!! I was able to donate a small amount last night. You guys are on to something BIG. The religious nutbags cannot stand it! That is the best part. All that shit they put us through, now it’s our turn. There is no stopping knowledge and logic. It marches on, as Neil puts it, the truth is still true whether you want to believe it or not. Started out listening to the Atheist Experience. Cannot soak up enough of my way of thinking. I too was forever changed by a few events, one of them being the Hubble Deep Field photos, it was a railroad spike in the heart of any lingering doubt I may have had. I truly became an atheist. An outspoken one at that. It has cost me friendships, but I made new ones. I even built an observatory in my back yard, my own mini Hubble. Search YouTube for fxsrider and you can see it in operation. Maybe this link will work.

No death threats yet eh?
I can guarantee that you will die. I can not however link anything you do, say or think to your certain demise. I know this is not much of a threat but speaking from my standpoint and a self qualified holder of a first class honors degree in stating the fucking obvious, we all die.

So keep on fucking with the bat shit crazy cunts we call theists, you have inspired me to take it up a notch in my pleading for reason with my religious workmates. They still find my attacks funny but its wearing thin and I hope to be unemployable before the spring.

Trying to be discrete and not laugh my ass off while listening to this show while commuting on the train daily to work is akin to an Olympic event for me. From the diatribe to Heath’s one-liners, I’ve never had so much fun learning about the utter stupidity of theists.

I’m trying to spread the word about this show during meetings of our local skeptic/atheist groups. I hope I’m getting some traction because seriously, this show MUST be shared.

She is young and lissom, but she is not too thin
With a smooth, clean, taut coat of homogeneous skin
Indicative of her salubrious state
She’s got all of her teeth and a metrical gait
But most important of all: she’s got a waist-to-hip ratio of fecund .7

When I sidle up she begins to purr
But to all of my rivals she at most demurs
We’re ineluctably drawn to her full red lips
And the estrogen curve of her nubile hips
Because most important of all: she’s got a waist-to-hip ratio of fecund point se-hea-ven…

The complements before the criticism. I like the whole premise of the show, the rhetorical hoops secularists jump through to avoid excoriating religion as a world view makes my skin crawl. The religionists want to be taught as science, then the same rules apply – all of them. Good work! And entertaining. I love Lucinda’s bible stories, and the holy babble pretty much reflects my take on the book, only I haven’t made it out of Genesis yet. If this were sold as separate books, I wouldn’t buy Exodus.

One bit of the Chronicles commentary really stood out because I’ve heard it once or twice recently from different sources. The 3/5 Compromise is generally misrepresented by people who really should know better. As you said in the context of the Nye Ham debate, we have the internet now and the really isn’t any excuse for not checking on something that fits into a pervasive narrative, i.e. uniquely American racism. In the context of how the census counted slaves for the purpose of apportioning house seats and seats in the electoral college, the representatives of the slave holding states wanted slaves counted as one, whereas the representatives of the non slave holding states wanted them counted as zero, to limit the power of the slave holding states. The 3/5 compromise was the product of two northern representatives, James Wilson and Robert Sherman. I won’t weary you by going on about the complexities of the people who oversaw the founding of America, the extent to which they managed what to us, with 240 odd years of cultural evolution that built on what they started, is an obvious case of severe cognitive dissonance and the political realities that they dealt with in creating a nation. But the 3/5 Compromise didn’t have anything to do with a judgement of the value, in terms of relative humanity of blacks, it was a very specific, political compromise.

It’s hard to decide what to check on, but as a rule of thumb I’ve found its a good idea to check on the stuff I really want to be true. “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you’re the easiest one to fool”

Guess we’re friends now. Got your reference about the slime baptism. “You Can’t Do That on Television!” Right? Love your show by the way. Live in Podunk, SC myself and am totally outnumbered. Check out upstate atheist alliance. Group for atheists and freethinkers in upstate SC.

Hi guys.
I love your podcast and the attitude behind it. I am also fed up with religion. It seems every week some macarbe religious news story hits the news.
The diatribe is great fun and I have yet to disagree. The pastor sound bytes are hilarious. Especially the guy talking about Jesus’ bulging biceps and thin waist. Latency, anyone?
Keep up the good work. Dale

Hey party people, I’ve noticed that a lot of pod cast have an Amazon link on their web page. It allows people to make purchases and kicks back a portion to the host, which would be ya’ll. I mention this because I didn’t see one on your page, maybe I’m blind and missed it. If not, it’s something you may think on. Long live rational and critical thinking.

I’m 50 years old and just figured out after trying for an hour how to give your podcast a 5 star rating. As you can see I’m not a product of the computer age. I don’t want to spend any more time of what life I have left figuring out how to donate to your show so can you give me a single easy way to give you my money? I’d also like you guys to come up with a t-shirt design because I guarantee people will buy it. I would prefer a long sleeve t-shirt so we won’t have to cover it up with another shirt.

The easiest way to make a one time donation is through PayPal (you don’t have to have a PayPal account, it can be done through a credit card) and you can get there by clicking the “donate” button on the upper right side of the page (under the words “Atheist Tithing Option”… and thanks!)

Hey Noah, Heath, and Lucinda,
I absolutely love the fuck out of your show. You guys (and gal) are awesome.
That being said, I am a Patreon donor and didn’t get my over-the-top compliment to my genitals after this last episode. I will consider forgiving this oversight for an even more over-the-top compliment after next week’s episode. 🙂
Keep up the good work folks, you’re the best podcast out there.

Gotcha… we only thank our donors the first episode after they donate, but with a name as common as yours, I can imagine it didn’t seem that way. With 131 Patreon donors and over 300 donors via PayPal the whole show would be thanks if we mentioned everyone on each show. Please understand that this is only because time and my creativity wouldn’t allow for it. We don’t love you any less and we’re no less impressed my your mammoth genitals than we were when we first received your donation.

Noah: “‘Better late than never’ as the British national motto clearly states”.
Heath: “Yeah. They, they eventually came around on disliking the Nazis but you know. Peacefully. The first few weeks they were pretty polite hosts but finally something had to be said. You know, subtle and politely but… ‘could you go ahead and stop occupying us? We’re gonna tell the Americans, we’ll tell..”

Do you think the Germans occupied Britain in the Second World War? Britain was the only nation in Western Europe to remain unoccupied and actively fighting the Nazis. Doing so alone and for two years before the Americans showed up. You will understand from this that “better late than never” is a motto better suited to America and has been regarded as such since the First World War aka the 1914 – 18 War, or to you the 1917 – 18 War.

Britain was fighting Nazi Germany from the day Poland was invaded in September 1939, taking casualties that same month. The US was not at war with either Germany or Japan until December 1941. Have you never heard of the Blitz? Or the Battle of Britain? Did you think these were events Germany won? I imagine you are also unaware that the British were fighting and dying against the Japanese the same month as the bombing of Pearl Harbour – before the US had a chance to lift a finger to defend itself?

And, Noah, no-one had to go and get “former colonies” to help. The Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, West Indians, South Africans and others were there straight away. No, not the Americans. America watched the ups and downs – the sinking of the Bismark, the declaration that Luxemburg was “cleansed of Jews,” the bombing raids on Germany, the battles with Rommel across North Africa, the various massacres of hundreds of thousands more Jewish civilians, sea battles across the globe, Barbarossa (Hitler’s invasion of Russia) the siege of Stalingrad, the declaration that Lithuania was “cleansed of Jews” and a stack of other battles and atrocities that haven’t penetrated your consciousness for no better reason than America wasn’t involved.

A piece on creationism in publicly funded British schools started this. If creationism in British schools has become such a problem that it has been made illegal it’s almost certainly because the US infection has spread here. It’s never been a problem before. Here we can be confident the law will be enforced. In America you evidently can’t. The problem is not with us it’s with you.

And “Chuck D” is still on the money.

Not a shred of what either of you said about these matters was true and the comments about the Second World War are among the most unaccountably ignorant nonsense I have ever heard.

So you’re insisting that we really believe that the British politely asked the Nazis to leave? You’re honestly saying that you don’t believe that was a sarcastic remark? You honestly believe that we think there wasn’t armed conflict over this? You think we were literally explaining our understanding of how World War Two played out?

I love your podcast; I’ve only recently subscribed to it, but I’ve been listening to it when I travel and I’m in love with it. You are truly people of great intellect, and good humor too. It’s engaging and helps me a little.
I live in the UK, where religious fundamentalism isn’t as greatly advertised, but it’s definitely still here. The old C of E (church of england) stuff is going away which is great, but there’s been a sharp rise in religion. Most people are still religious, and we’re seeing a few more Islamic fundamentalists, which is always worrying.
I live with fundamentalist parents who know nothing of my atheism (and would disown me if they did!) and think that evolution and global warming doesn’t happen, so listening to your show really gives me an outlet for which I can truly be myself.

Basically- thank you. You’re pretty fucking awesome, and I envy your ability to make people think and laugh, and talk of religion in such a manner that it evokes a response, both from atheists like myself and the common religious person.

Hey guys. I just want to tell you I love listening to your podcast. I download it from Podfeed.net. You sure give me some good laughs the way you rip into religion. I came across a website you might appreciate if you don’t already know about it. It’s http://www.evilbible.com/

I was just turned on to your show by a friend a couple of weeks ago and have been working my way through the archives (it will be a sad day when I can’t go grab an old episode for a quick half hour of belly laughs) which is great, but I’m wondering if there’s an RSS feed I can use to hear the extended episodes I have access to from my Patreon contribution since I listen on my iphone and not my computer. Thanks for the great work and all the referrals to other great podcasts too. It’s heartening to know that there’s a huge world of non-believers out there…

Stephen, we don’t have a member’s RSS feed yet. We’re unfortunately plagued with a team that is far more adept at dick jokes than the technical hurdles involved in running a podcast. We hope to have a password protected RSS available for donors by the end of the month.

I just listened to the most event episode and wanted to clarify that Jack Daniels is whiskey, not bourbon; bourbon not only has a specific brewing methodology, but has to come from Kentucky to be real bourbon. Come on, guys, I’ve been here all my life surround by ignorant right-wing hillbillies that embarrass the state on a regular basis with Creation Museums and Ark Encounters; bourbon is the only thing I’ve got left to be proud about.

Double checked your claim and I apologize in advance to your Kentucky pride, but bourbon need not come from Kentucky to be bourbon any more than pizza needs to come from New York to be real pizza. 95% of bourbon is, in fact, produced in Kentucky, but it’s not a Kentucky product by definition. That being said, your actual correction is correct; Jack Daniels is “Tennessee Whiskey,” rather than “Bourbon,” though the distinction should really be seen as a subset for logical purposes.

That being said, Heath is the resident alcoholic beverage expert, so it was his fault we fucked up.

I’ve been an atheist for about a year and a half and I’ve never been happier. I’m about to turn 61, so I really wish I had been atheist decades ago. I’ve enjoyed your podcast, especially The Diatribe! Your words are sharp and wonderful. Keep up the great work!

Great show, my go-to podcast now! Hey, quick request for the website: could you put up a list and links for the websites you recommend? The filthy monkey-men intos lead me to new material, but if I’m listening in my car it’s hard to search it on iTunes to give it a shot. I know they are in the show notes, but plowing thru the old episodes like I am, I am not looking at them for every show and I miss the chance to take advantage of the plug. Just a list of “Scathingly Approved” podcast would be great! Again, love the show, I am listening and waiting patiently to find out if you are Mets or Yankees, that will tell me everything I need to know about you personally! Lol.

Thanks bro, you say the shit I say in my head. Keeps me from exploding all over stupid motherfuckers down here in the Dirty…

I have a bone to pick with you motherfuckers. Your diatribes, as well as Heath’s headline observations, have goddamned-near caused me to wreck my vehicle on dozens of occasions over the last year or so. I swear, if I survive the nearly-inevitable horrific accident that is bound to result from continuing to listen to your hilarious material, somebody’s gonna get sued. How about Todd Akin?

It makes such a refreshing catharsis, listening to your unfiltered rants after hearing the calm and respectful podcasts like The Thinking Atheist & Dogma Debate – whom I also like, despite their marked lack of proficiency. Perhaps they’ll correct this deficiency at some point.

I feel your pain, moving from NYC to Podunk, GA. Kind of like a cultural purgatory. I’m living my own personal hell, having been forced to move from Seattle, WA to Podunk, Louisiana a few years ago to follow my bitch ex-wife who moved my kids to this mecca of education and equality.

And who knew Song of Solomon was such Bronze-Age spank material? Learn something new and disturbing every day.

Just a general suggestion: An “edit” button for the posts (for caffeine-deficient dumbasses like myself who hit ENTER before checking to see if autocorrect has replaced “profanity” with “proficiency”, or who ended the whole shebang with a comma vice a period, like a retarded gerbil) might be nice. Y’know, just a suggestion.

Smartest atheist podcast on the net. I really enjoy the clever, incisive and funny commentary. I’m skint at the moment but will contribute cash money when I can. Scathing atheist could only be imprroved by being longer and aired more often!

I was looking for something to watch this weekend when I came across a trailer that made me think of the find cultured folks at Scathing Atheist. The movie is called “The Song” and it claims to be based on The Song of Solomon. Of course, it stars a “good man” who struggles to make it as a singer (his father was famous but was caught having an affair with a married woman….gasp! Oh the horror!! How will he ever have a career with this hanging over him!!) One day, he meets a chaste Christian woman whose father owns the vineyard he’s performing at. They fall into true Christian love (you can tell, because they don’t have sex until they are married) and he writes a song in her honor that catapults him into stardom. He then goes on tour and meets the evil temptress whore……..I mean his opening act. You can tell she’s evil, because she has tattoos, dark hair, smokes, drinks, does drugs, flirts with men, wears revealing clothing and fornicates. Under her evil influence, the poor helpless man begins to fall into sin, as shown by his unkempt beard, and is only rescued by the love of his wife and the power of Jesus. As far as the temptress whore, there’s no redeeming a fallen woman, so forget about her. They are actually trying to promote this as a “sexy Christian movie.” From what you guys were discussing about Solomon, if the movie doesn’t have an NC-17 rating, they’re doing it wrong.

They’re doing it wrong.

Anyway, love the show and keep up the good work! I live in Boner…..sorry, Boehner, territory, so crap like this plays regularly, even in the more commercial multiplexes. You guys help me keep a working level of sanity here in God’s Country!

So… I’m driving past one of the five churches I have to pass every day on my way home from work with my 10 year old daughter. As we pass this particular church, with it’s obligatory inane religious message on it’s sign by the street, my daughter asks if I know what it said last week. I tell her I can’t remember. She says, “Some stupid thing about Jesus”… I love that kid.

Greeting from South Africa. Love your stuff. How about a league table for Frankie from the vatican. Have my RC friends suddenly giving him a free pass because they have prosecuted one child abuser. Such a low bar to suddenly make him respectable. I think if there was a sort of league table with goals for for and against he wouldn’t look so good. After all he was complicit in cover ups for 40/50 years plus. Really hard for people to remove the shackles of indoctrination. Keep the good shit coming.

Even worse, the one guy they finally arrested (and have not yet prosecuted) is Josef Wesolowski, who was removed from his post in the dark of night when it became clear that the Dominican government was about to arrest him. That was over a year ago and they’ve only just now gotten around to STARTING the judicial process.

Amazing how many people seem desperate for a chance to look past the institutionalized protection of pedophiles and let child-rapists be child-rapists.

Hello to the Scathing Atheist Team. (insert obligatory love your show comment here….cuz I do). I would be more eloquent with my praise if I wasn’t so fucking pissed off right now. I am trying to leave a Stitcher review for you guys (as requested) and I can’t figure out how to do it. I am pissed off at myself for not figuring it out and I am pissed off that it is this hard to figure out. Shouldn’t it be almost annoyingly apparent how to rate your fave shows? I am not an online troglodyte and am relatively competent at doing what needs to be done online, however, after a fair amount of time searching both the Stitcher site and your site, you are still unrated…..by me….(apparently) the biggest dummy on the internet today. Once you stop laughing at what an idiot I am, I will gladly leave 5 stars if you can tell me how to do so.

It certainly isn’t just you. In the outro to this week’s show I even mentioned what a pain in the ass it is. Stitcher says they’re working to make it easier, but virtually everyone who tries to rate us there reports the same thing. It can’t be done from the app, apparently, but it can be done from their website… but I don’t know how.

Don’t sweat leaving us a review there (though we appreciate the effort).

Incidentally, if anybody happens upon this post that’s cracked the Stitcher-review code, please feel free to leave a link and I’ll attach it to something easy to find on the website.

Awesome show first and foremost! Just to be pedantic I’m going to point out that the midget in NIC Cage’s latest flop is Martin Klebba (Pirates of the Caribean fame) not Verne Troyer! Also some background on the Director, he’s a UK stunt industry legend who’s doubled Christopher Reeve and Harrison Ford in his time! Looks like he’s been living state side too long if he’s resorted to this!

Just started listening to some archived shows last night. You guys do a great job! (By the way, did you know that “guy” is from Guido/Guy Fawkes of Guy Fawkes Treason Day?) Have you ever considered prank phone calls to prayer lines, etc.? Again, great job!

You three are the best, etc etc etc. At the beginning of episode 69, there’s a clip of some lunatics screaming about the blood of Jesus. It’s the funniest damn thing I’ve ever heard and I’d love to know where it’s from. I hope you can help me out there.

Thanks again and keep up the stupendous hysterical work. I owe you guys money.

I looked for the original clip I used and couldn’t find it… that was a clip from some Christian puppet show. And yes, it was the puppet that was so stoked about talking about the blood of Jesus. If I come across it again, I’ll be sure to post it here.

kestrelio

November 24, 2014 at 2:49 PM

Dang. Oh well, thanks for the quick response. Out of context clips like that make Christianity sound like some bizarre cannibalism cult.

Lucinda, Noah, Heath, you are wonderful! I am in awe of your intellect and witty repartee!
I appreciate the pain and suffeing that yu are goijg through reading the Bible. If you have not already done so, please read Bart Ehrman, professor at UNC. He is an ex-evangelical and excellent Biblical scholar. His work demostrates how the Bible is in fact fallible, subject to error, and created by humuns. I think he may actually be as intelligent as you guys, even if he is not as brutally funny. Seriously, you guys are intelligent. He can engage you on an intelligent level, and lend support to the argument that the Bible is BS.
Westie
PS, I have tried listening to several other atheist and secular podcasts. Frankly, they are boring, and I can’t stand listening to a whole hour of them. I can’t get enough of yours. You’re even better than Dan Savage! Yes, I will give you money … soon.

It feels like I’m (we’re) in a Twilight Zone episode where we, as a minority, can see the truth and the majority believes in a non-existent overseer. I’d rather tongue-dart the fart-hole of a dead rhinoceros than surrender my reason to the zealot populace.
Atheism clicked for me at a young age. I cant remember exactly when but it was like a bolt of lightning hitting me. I was sitting next to another kid on the bus on the way to school one morning. This other child had shorts on and it was a particularly chilly morning. I noticed the little translucent leg hairs stand up on her legs and that’s when I had the epiphany. Leg hairs rising is a vestigial mammalian reflex. It serves no purpose on humans anymore. It used to. Like animals that are outside during the winter months that are able to use this trait to trap warm air next to their skin, hominids used this to keep warm. Click! Evolution has to be true! Why would a divine creator impart such an unnecessary characteristic to man? Either it was a mistake which would lead to an imperfect god or it was an example of natural selection. Regardless of which the outcome is the same. No god.
I too have debated with the die hard brainwashed religious friends and family. I argue that if they were born in Iraq, they would be as fervent a muslim as they are a christian now. The same applies for judiasm, buddhism, or what have you. They all cant be right. Furthermore, as christians their Sunday shaman ceremonies and beliefs are “watered down” from the source material they claim to hold high. Over time they chose which traditions they would follow and which to disregard. Lutherans don’t like the Catholic worship of the virgin Mary. They “tossed” that out. How do you put so much faith into something that you’ve conformed to fit your needs? Shouldn’t the “word” be absolute for all? Now I hear that cardinal George Pell admitted that the story of Adam and Eve was not but an allegory. He agrees that we (humans) all descended from the original Africans. That throws original sin out the window.

You may have noticed I did not capitalize any of the traditionally capitalized words like “god”. It’s my little way of jabbing those fuckers in the eye. Even if they don’t see it…

I loved reading about how atheism kicked in for you. I wasn’t exactly as smart as you 🙂 I was a devout christian born and raised (i am in Texas so you know, naturally) and so one day I was having a conversation with my now husband and he told me he didn’t believe in a hell. I could not understand why he didn’t believe in a hell, so we had a conversation about it and he told me he didn’t believe in heaven either, how could an all forgiving god send someone to hell for not subscribing to the popular religion? So, I went home and did my research, which at the time was watching Zeitgeist and it clicked with me. I sat there crying on my bed realizing I had been lied to my entire life and at the same time feeling liberated at not having to conform to the rules christianity placed on me.

At any rate, now 8 years later I am happier than ever but still don’t bring it up with my family. Haven’t gotten to that point yet.

Mike Schara

December 12, 2014 at 4:22 PM

I am happy to hear that your eyes are open! Isn’t it a marvelous feeling to be free of “the greatest lie ever told to man”? Zeitgeist (and the two sequels) do make some valid and thought-provoking points. Congrats to you!

Mainly I take the explanation of theocracy and the federal reserve stuff as sound. The rest of Zeitgeist felt a little too “conspirator-y”. You ever read the Atheist Universe by David Mills, Noah? He too looks angrily upon those that perpetuate the myth of a god. I read him before I found your podcast. He looks to physical science to derail the biblical stupidity. His writing felt as scathing as your broadcast. Anyway best to you and yours’!

To be honest, I’ve never watched Zeitgeist, I’ve just seen it ripped to shreds for a complete lack of fact-checking on several other mediums. Even the producer admitted later that he never fact checked anything and instead built the movie of unsourced internet conspiracies. My guess is that I’d take issue with it’s depiction of the Federal Reserve (a favorite misunderstood whipping boy among conspiracy theorists.)

I have not read “Atheist Universe,” thought… I’ll add it to my list. Thanks.

We actually had the good fortune to meet him at ReasonCon last year. He was a really nice guy, even after Heath and I fessed up to making fun of him on the show. We’re in the middle of a move right now, but as soon as that’s in the past I’ll reach out to him and try to get an interview.

I’m a huge fan of the show. On the last episode you asked for critical feedback. The best I can do is point out a missed opportunity for a church butt-rape joke. This is most unprofessional and unlike you guys!

You often use segways to insert extra jokes – eg “and unlike Jesus, we’ll be back …” so how can you explain Heath saying the words “But first … ” without following it up with a joke? Something like “which incidentally is the safest way for a choirboy to exit church” – I’m sure you guys can improve on this !

And please can we have more jokes where Heath says “you’re making us look stupid” – please!!!!

Whooooa! Just listened to episode 98. Imagine no religion 5 will be held in Richmond, not Kamloops this year. Does this mean I have to start fact checking you guys? Not that I could even begin to figure out all the references to Board of Co-operative education services anal sex. “Factually” correct or not, keep up the brilliant work…guess I should send you some money for the weekly giggles. Shit! Sounds like you’ve been blowing me…. OK there’s a $100 in patreon for you.
Dean Smith
Richmond BC

In 1990, I was 20 years old. Anyway, I was at work, and I came face to face with the president of the the company. Hoping to save him the embarrassment of looking foolish, I quietly told him that he had some “shit” on his forehead that he might want to wipe off. He said “Oh, it’s ash.” I can imagine the puzzlement on my face, when after a brief pause I said “Okay, you have ash on your forehead.” He then said it was ash wednesday. Being raised lutheran, but never really believing, I had heard of the day, but had no idea that this is what catholics did. I thought “oh shit” to myself, meekly smiled, and walked away.
Your mention of ash wednesday on the last episode brought this funny memory back, and I thought I’d share.

You may be interested in the Xmas special podcast of the Infinite Monkey Cage (basically a science show from BBC Radio 4) which at least begins by talking about the bible – it wanders off in some add directions but is pretty good: http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/timc

You fucking people are dangerous and irresponsible. I drive a 34 wheeled truck that weighs in at 68 metric tonne when fully loaded. I laugh so fucking hard at your show that I can barely see through the tears in my eyes. Seriously, you are my people, I learn, I laugh, I listen. You are great company for a truck driver on the lonely Australian country roads.

Popped my Patreon Cherry! Couldn’t pick a better show to support.
I have literally listened to every show, from episode 1, in sequence. I’m only on 74 right now, but at my current rate, I should be caught up by Monday haha.

I also saw you reached your goal to start a second podcast. Might I have the name of that one so I can listen in as well?

The new show will actually start next month… for most people. The first four episodes will be released exclusively to our Patreon donors starting on Monday, so you’ll be able to get an early listen. We’ll start releasing episodes to everyone on episode five.

It’ll be similar to the existing show, but it’ll delve outside of the religious topics to a broader range of bullshit. Basically, it’ll afford us an opportunity to sound off on political and skeptical topics across the board.

Mario Ribas

January 21, 2015 at 5:08 PM

I am definitely looking forward to that. Hearing yours and Heath’s take on Climate change denial, pseudoscience, and Faux News will be nothing short of awesome.

Will is right: Read Mark first, for all the reasons that he gave and because it was written closet in time to the events recorded. Then when you read Matthew and Luke you can fully appreciate what Bible scholars refer to as “The Synoptic Problem” which–translated into words you can understand–is “how did this story get so fucked up, and who made up all this extra shit?”

My family decided that we would support this wonderful show for many reasons. First we decided that the engagement value was so high that we began to feel like we were steeling from them. Secondly, I believe that they represent a voice that needs to be amplified and magnified. In a cathartic way they are saying what I so desretly want to but all to often can’t.

Finally, I am a transgender, atheist, elementary school teacher who lives above the arctic circle among some very kind but very blind humans. This makes for a very interesting week to say the least. Thank you all for treating and defending our community with humor, dignity, and respect.

I wish some one would turn a skeptical eye and critical thinking toward mental health treatment and psychiatry. They operate using identical mechanisms of faith, very much like religion. Its baffling to me why so many people drink the cool aid when it comes to, for example DSM diagnosis, treatments, and outcomes. From my perspective (25 years in mental health) psychiatry and therapy are disability factories. I cant understand why questioning these assumptions is off limits to well known skeptics. Is it because these positions are dominated by scientologists?
(PS I am not a scientologist)

I haven’t seen anything to suggest that these topics are “off limits” to skeptics, I just don’t think they agree with your assessment. I’ve heard this topic discussed plenty of times in skeptical circles, on skeptical podcasts, etc., just never such that the participants reached your conclusion.

So I realize that this isn’t a forum for extended discussion, nor is it perhaps the ideal place for me to prolong a discussion of extremely complex issues such as the treatment and diagnoses of the mentally ill, but this comment popped up in my email and I just can’t resist but to respond (sorry Noah).

I don’t have any qualifications in the medical realm, but in my (now ended) political background, I dealt extensively with mentally ill and developmentally disabled issues. Thus, my view is narrow and biased, but I still think meaningful. The common person has utterly no concept of the issues faced by both the medical community and the sufferers of mental illness. Nor do many policy makers when it comes to what they mistakenly view as black and white issues, such whether state facilities should be shut down in favor of group homes, etc.

I would *love* to hear a podcast that is capable of addressing the complexity of these issues, but I just don’t feel that the skeptical set of podcasts is ideal. We’re not even talking about binary questions of “do ghosts exists and can you prove it.” We’re talking about how much we as a society should spend a year to provide for treatment toward a mentally ill individual. There’s no right answer for that. In my state, the per capita expenditure is extravagant, and yet these individuals still live comparatively sad lives. Should we spend more or cut our losses? These are philosophical, political conversations that play toward the balance between compassion and practicality. In other words, there’s no “right” answer, but I’d jump at the chance to hear an informed debate in the appropriate setting.

Hey guys, I love when y’all review movies. It’s probably my favorite part of the show besides the holy babble. I remember seeing this movie at church when I was in high school called “Time Changer.” In the movie, a nineteenth-century seminary professor invents a time machine and travels to like 2004 or 2005. I think you’ll find more than enough material here for irreverent dick jokes, and nothing would make me happier than to hear the scathing atheist review lol.http://www.timechangermovie.com

Hey guys, I love when y’all review movies. It’s probably my favorite part of the show besides the holy babble. I remember seeing this movie at church when I was in high school called “Time Changer.” In the movie, a nineteenth-century seminary professor invents a time machine and travels to like 2004 or 2005. I think you’ll find more than enough material here for irreverent dick jokes, and nothing would make me happier than to hear the scathing atheist review lol.

Thank you for a pair of consistently hilarious podcasts. Keep up the great work. I have a couple of events which it would be great if you plugged:

Imagine No Religion 5 conference in Richmond, near Vancouver, BC, Canada June 5-7 Featuring among other great speakers, Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss. ImagineNoReligion.ca for details.

Hemant Mehta, The Friendly Atheist, and Armin Navabi, ex-Iranian, ex-Muslim atheist blogger will be speaking at Langara College in Vancouver, BC, Canada on 28 March 2015 3pm to 5pm. http://www.facebook.com/bchumanist for details.

Scratch my last contact. Even though the age and general location was right, the person that lived by me was Jason Davey. Since the last name is different I highly doubt any relation. Good show. I will continue voting for you every day while I am voting for The Detroit Cast anyways. I will continue to listen as well. Keep up the great work!

Love your show.
Just wanted to say that in the episode when you interviewed a “forman” that growing up as a Mormon when I started fucking up they acted like it was a slippery slope to getting kicked out and shit and yet that dude had hoops to jump through to leave. Wtf?
The amount of lies I had to dig through post highschool because of religion was astounding!
And to think my parents could have saved me all that trouble by not being dumb…. Fuck.

G’day. Bob from Darwin, Australia here. Found your show only recently and having been giggling myself silly as I work my way through them. Absolutely the best podcast to listen to when sweating your ring-bit out doing PT; and I don’t even mind all the funny looks I get as a result. Thanks!
Also, I gave you guys a donation through Paypal, but don’t know if it came through in USD or AUD. So, if you get a weird amount come through, it might have been mine.

I found your podcast enjoyable, even if I don’t agree with all of your points. You put together cogent arguments that make me take a step back and think about my positions. Thank you for challenging my assumptions.

I love the fact the BBC published this article comparing Christianity to Jediism but couldn’t help getting wound up by the bishop dismissing new religions as man made etc Feel free to read and tear this guy a new arsehole.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-31795408

One minute I’m relaxing in the living room, playing Trivia Crack, reading FaceBook posts, translating Telemundo for my husband. And the next minute he flips on fucking Donnie Swaggart. And what could have progressed to an enjoyable afternoon of lazy vacation sex has been successfully cock blocked. I hope Frances and Friends will help him with those blue balls, ’cause I sure won’t.

You know I have got into a bate with stick conservative religious people.. The main thing I alwa wind up getting into a damn debate over is gays marrage. Well when I bring up the bible to the Christian and ask them why do you fallow laviductis 18:22 but you don’t fallow any of the others laws in that chapter of that damn bible of yours? And their response is always well well it’s not just there God talks about gays all through out the bible. And when Jesus was born the Old Testament rule were gone.

There is no logic in their thoughs! Because if Jesus was born witch we have no profe of but anyways and he wind did up getting read of all the Old Testament laws then that means he got read of the Ten Commandments as well.

Hell religious people cherry pick like no tomorrow man, if you pin them to the wall the will just pull shit out of thin are to make it fit and tell you God said it and it’s in the bible. And you know what I am getting tired of it.

What’s up gents and the lovely Lucinda. I had a question. I was recently in a debate with another atheist. Me being an atheist, I thought him and I would have strong similarities in our views so when he said that he believed in Jesus it took me aback. He then goes into a diatribe about how most learned atheist and historians on the subject of theology all agree on the existence of ” historical Jesus”, which of whom I had never heard anything about. I tried to dispute his claims but he was knowledgable about the subject and I finally just said I’ll do some research and I’d talk to him next week. So my question is to you fine folks are: Is there any validity, ( solid validity) to his claims about the existence of historical Jesus? If yes, where can I find the most credible information on it? If false, can you guys and lady of-course provide me with ammunition to blow this fucker out of the water? Thanks again!

That’s a much more complicated question than it seems like it should be, and much of that is certainly because most of the scholarship over the centuries has been incredibly biased toward the assumption that Jesus was a historical figure. So first things first, he’s definitely right. The majority of biblical scholars (including the atheist ones) agree that Jesus was a real person. Whether or not they think that for good reasons is a matter of a lot of debate, but the consensus among secular scholars is that Jesus was probably a historical figure.

I have to admit that I’ve always had trouble with this assumption, simply because there are no contemporary writings. Nothing was written about Jesus at the time he was supposed to have lived. The earliest writings (as I understand it) are Paul’s letters.

Dr. Richard Carrier is one of the real leaders in the camp of historians that believe Jesus was NOT a historical figure, but his hypothesis is still considered to be on the fringe by most scholars in his field. I’ve read his two part work, “Proving History” and “On the Historicity of Jesus” where he lays out the flaws in the “Jesus was a real guy” argument, while building a damn strong argument that Jesus began as a mythological character who was later assumed to be a real person. He makes a very convincing argument, but I say that with the full admission that I’m in no real position to judge whether or not he’s right.

From what I hear, Bart Ehrman’s “How Jesus Became God” is a great work that lays out the more widely accepted position; but I haven’t gotten around to reading any of Ehrman’s work so I can’t comment on how good it is.

Well, one of our honourable canadian senators and former political journalist, Mike Duffy, is being prosecuted on 31 counts, including using government funds for non-governmental activities, including getting blown up photos of Barbara Bush for himself… Why? I have no clue, but your show may have provided an answer.

Listening to your podcasts has given me the courage and knowledge to have my first encounter with a christard. Thank you for that, I think. Even though thinking was a bit harder for me afterwards, I’d still like to thank you. I’ll recover from the dumbing down she tried to inflict upon me because I know where the mindtrain derailing began upon reflection. I even started cautiously with someone I knew beforehand because I didn’t want to walk away from the encounter just wondering if the person was really that dumb, I wanted to know. She is. On a number of topics. Full disclosure: Maker’s Mark did help with some of my courage build-up. I’ll leave it at that because I must parachute back to the battlefield known to some as Facebook and reply to 4, no…make that 5 of her new messages. Evidently she’s not through with me either. Geronimoooooo!!!

Hei N, L & H.
I came by an interesting article today in The Canberra Times commenting on religious proselytising in the wake of natural disasters. Excerpt below:

APRIL 30, 2015 – 12:15 AM ARTICLE
A Hindu Nepalese woman offers prayers at Indrayani temple, which was damaged in the earthquake. Photo: AP
Nepal earthquake: How religious groups prey on the victims of natural disasters
Victims of the Nepal earthquake rest inside a helicopter as they are evacuated. Photo: Reuters
The damage near Baiturrahman mosque in tsunami-hit Banda Aceh. Photo: Reuters
People wait at a school after the earthquake in Nepal. Photo: Reuters
RUBY HAMAD

No matter how sophisticated our scientific knowledge becomes, in the face of natural disaster many humans will still turn to religion for answers and comfort.

It is therefore unsurprising that religious sentiment soared following the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004 and the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. Yet some may be surprised to learn how much of it was due to missionaries who exploited these crises, using them as opportunities to impose their own religious beliefs on a shocked and disoriented populace.

Within hours of the catastrophic earthquake striking Nepal over the weekend, evangelical Christians took to social media to express both their sorrow at all those who had perished without “knowing Jesus” and their hopes that the tragedy would propel the mostly-Hindu population to embrace the Gospel.

It is one thing to merely share these sentiments, however tasteless they may be. But it’s quite another to use such a tragedy to actively spread a particular ideology as J Lavey Prabu, of the India-based Super-Life mission, did when he tweeted, “Already our mission workers are there to help the people and tell them the goodness of Jesus.”

@CPIAAP Already our mission workers are there to help the people and tell them the goodness of Jesus. India is in need of knowing true God.

— Lavey Prabu J (@laveypj) April 25, 2015

Religious missionaries capitalise on natural disasters in two ways. First, they strike fear into the traumatised population by implying the event was a direct result of their lack of faith. Second, and perhaps more chillingly, they offer “money, food, employment, or other inducements to convert people”.

Both of these dubious methods were used in Aceh following the tsunami that devastated the Indonesian province. As The Guardian reported at the time:

“Dozens of religious groups have moved in to Aceh, looking to help tsunami victims – and convert them…Mark Kosinski, an American evangelist who arrived in Aceh from Malaysia last week, said: ‘These people need food but they also need Jesus. God is trying to awaken people and help them realise salvation is in Christ.'”

Such a statement is only a hair’s breadth away from outright declaring the tragedy was a deliberate act of God as punishment for not being Christian.

The Guardian continues:

“One US Christian group…tried to airlift 300 ‘tsunami orphans’ to a Christian children’s home. WorldHelp started raising funds for the operation until it learned that the Indonesian government had banned non-Muslims from adopting Acehnese orphans.”

In other words, WorldHelp was only prepared to help these orphans as long as there was a chance they would be converted to Christianity.

This rampant proselytism wasn’t limited to Christians. Aceh, like most of Indonesia, is predominantly Muslim and following the devastation, as the trauma saw many previously non-practicing survivors turn to religion, it wasn’t long before hardline Islamic groups seized their chance to spread their own ideology:

“More radical Muslim groups started arriving in the province within days. These include the Islamic Defenders’ Front, which has attacked bars and shops selling alcohol in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, and Lashkar Mujahideen, which endorses a militant ideology…groups are handing out Korans and even veils alongside aid.”

It was a similar situation when disaster struck Haiti in 2010. US evangelical preacher Pat Robertson set the tone for what was to come by blaming the quake on the Caribbean country’s lack of Christianity, claiming it had made a “pact to the devil”.

Pretty soon it was a free-for-all. John Travolta flew tonnes of aid- and Scientology ministers- to the country on his private jet. Christian, Muslim and Jewish groups also descended on the island, each literally wearing their religion on their sleeve, dressed in “T-shirts of a different hue declaring which faith had inspired them to help save Haiti”.

The situation, where these faith-based groups attempted to out-proselytise each other, got so out of hand that ten Christian missionaries were charged with child abduction after allegedly attempting to smuggle 33 children out of the country. The charges were eventually dismissed.

It should go without saying that the distribution of aid should not be contingent on religious conversion, nor should survivors be subjected to insinuations that they brought they tragedy upon themselves by rejecting God.

Of course, that’s not to say religious organisations should not be permitted to dispense aid. Indeed, it is faith-based groups that have often been there when help is needed most, and who have given selflessly.

However, as Vince Isner of FaithfulAmerica.org told the Christian Science Monitor, this aid should be dispensed in a manner that respects the faith (if any) of those they are helping.

“There’s a power imbalance when people are in dire need… When others offer aid and ask, ‘By the way, do you know why this happened to you? There’s a better way.'”

Indeed, there is a better way- help people without expecting a reward in return, including the reward of religious conversion.

In these initial days following the quake in Nepal, as the fatalities and displacement skyrocket and the true extent of the tragedy unfolds, parameters must be set by the international community as to what we will tolerate from religious-based groups on the ground.

Aid is desperately needed, but, as some locals are already making clear, religious coercion and opportunism is not.

I’m here to explain where you went wrong with the believing atheist idea. What confused you is English language. In English the word believe means “I have faith” (in god) but also “I think”, “it is my opinion”. Now go back to your diatribe and replace the word “believe” with “I have faith” and it will be talking about atheists who have faith. And that’s where you went wrong. You are welcome.

Hey heathens, I read an article today that I demand you guys to cover. I giggled just reading it, then I thought…I would piss myself if the Scathing Atheists commented on this hell-bound professor and his stubborn student. Noah…Heath….Lucinda….please help me piss myself. Here’s the link.

I am Australian. Our prime Minister is a homophobe, yet his sister is a raging Lezbo!!! This much I am sure you know….You may not know the following, dependent on how zealous your researchers are.

An opposition frontbencher (Married to a dude Labor Minister Tanya Plibersek) who is totally fuckable, attended a rally/demonstration in support of Equal Marriage Laws.

Big Fucking deal, I hear you say.

Wait a monkey fucking minute is my retort. Who did the above fuckable Labor politician attend the rally with? Who did she stand beside practically playing stink finger with? Mr. Fucking Abbots fucking Sister. They yelled and gave speeches until their mouths were as dry as their snatches get around men. It was fucking endearing.

How fucked up would the conversation around the Abbots Xmas dinner table be?

Anyway, your unpaid and barely interested roving Aussie reporter out….. I also know I am not your reporter, but I have to tell my wife I am doing something on the PC apart from watching midget, paraplegic dual amputee porn…..

Just want to say that I would like to continue to get the extended editions via dropbox It is very convenient and without the usual hassle I have experienced in the past. The only better option would be if I could subscribe to the extended editions in my podcaster (BeyondPod).

The inaugural final of an Islamic international rugby tournament between Malaysia and Algeria was abandoned at the weekend after a savage all-in brawl involving players, officials and spectators. Sunday’s match was the final of the inaugural Crescent Cup aimed at promoting solidarity and close cooperation between Islamic countries…an assistant referee had several teeth broken and suffered neck injuries in the melee, while 10 players from both sides required treatment for broken bones and cuts after the fight.

Hi Guys,
just to let you know, traffic.libsyn.com now redirects to a (non-working for me) flash player page. A right-click & save as resultsin a 0 byte mp3 file. As I don’t do streaming or online listening I won’t be able to listen any more, pity as I really liked the show.

I love the show. I’m a $1 per episode Patreon supporter. I downgraded after paying $5 per episode for a month because I wanted the signed copy of Diatribes. I believe that was the deal. I made the order, payed the rate for the required time, but I never got the book. Maybe I misread it or something, but I don’t think so. I can’t contribute more; just don’t have the dough. Could you check my account? If I’m right, could you send the book? I was reallyoomjng forward to that. Thanks!

I loved the diatribe on episode 132. I hadn’t heard that B.C./B.C.E came from Jewish academics. I did have to get into a discussion regarding a “correction” on a college paper several years ago regarding “a god” vs. “a God”. That’s right, some even want the word capitalized when it follows an INDEFINITE ARTICLE! I do have to disagree with you about the name of Abraham’s god, however. “Yahweh” refers to the space guy’s refusing to give his name (I am what I am, or I will be what I will be, or some such nonsense). “Jehovah” is just a translation of that. The name of the deity is clearly stated as “Jealous” in Exodus 34:14. I don’t know of any other verse where it is stated more clearly than “The Lord, whose name is Jealous” is a jealous God. Had it added “redundant”, we could rename it “Captain Obvious”.
Keep being amazing!

I live just outside of Edmonton Alberta Canada, I saw in the local news, that we banned “opening” prayers for city council, which to me is a MASSIVE win, but this is the first time I realized this “bibal thimp’n” shit was this close to me… It fills me with PRIDE that religion can’t take a foothold where I am (even though my little town has a church directury for 8,000 people…)
If I heard a reference to it on a podcast, it would make my day…
And We Canadians are awesome!
THANKS for everything you do!
(This religious shit HOPEFULLY won’t intrude into Canada’s government/schools)

Huge fan. Really love the show. I’m desperate to hear some of the older episodes but ITunes no longer has those displayed and I can’t listen to them from the site because I’m sadly too poor to carry around a smart phone to listen to them on the go. Are they archived in such a way that I could download a PDF file or something so I could have them on my computer? Just wondering. Thanks

Hi, How ’bout doing a survey by your listeners for the best episodes! That way you get customer feedback, but the listeners also get an idea of were they lean to or feel kinship?
My other favorite podcast Cognitive Dissonance lists at least 4 of their best episodes.
But, That’s easy for me to say ’cause I don’t have to do all that work.
Then, Post the results.
Thanks for the incredible “Comedy Chemistry”

Just thought I’d drop this here. Don’t know if you can tie it in with God Awful Movies but when I saw “Real life exocist fact checks famous horror movies” I knew I had to send this to y’all. Oh and hello from South Atlanta.

So here I am at work, taking care of some updating of my issues / to – do list while listening to episode 7. I get to the part where depending upon my finer sensibilities I’m given the option of removing my right, my left, or none of my headphones… I go for the full Monty and leave them both in. I now know which camp I’m in… As of there was a doubt in my mind… The camp that had to rip his headphones off so I wouldn’t have to explain to my mostly religious coworkers why I’m lying on the floor convulsive with laughter and covered in my own piss. I can’t thank you enough!

My father talked me into attending a series on Jesus and the battle of good vs evil. As an atheist I really went for fun…. wtf is up with eating bread and juice and pretending it’s Jesus blood and flesh!! Isn’t it a little silence of the lambs or do they feel it’s ok because Jesus juice is like an aged wine? Do we partake in the fava Beans and Chianti too?

Dear Scathing Atheist
I am a relatively new listener(July 2015) and would have to say you guys have three of the best podcasts I have listen to in a long time. I have very much enjoyed your thoughtful sober analysis of untouchable scared issues with overly offences jokes not to mention brutal reason and honesty or just poking fun at idiots, truly you guys are a breath of fresh air in this religion filled world. The podcasts are treat to listen to every week and they helped me keep a smile on my face even when my depression is try to get the better of me,
Lastly as someone who is bit of a armature historian who interest is in the ancient world(Greece, Rome, Egypt, Assyria etc) I came across a couple of books and articles that talks about how Hours, Mithra,Krishna, Dionysus, and Attlis have story characteristics of Jesus and the nativity story(resurrections, born of a virgin, dead for 3 days ,born on the 25th, preforming miracles ,star of the east, etc). I say this because I have idea for holiday skit , this would revolve around the other older gods trying to sue Jesus for copywriter infringement, plagiarism, or being to lazy to make a new back story and they hire a Jewish lawyer(who maybe is also anger with Jesus for corrupting the old testament or something else).
Anyways if use the idea or not no big deal but I want to thanks your guys and Eli so much for keeping me sane and showing me that I am not the only one who believe in the ideas of atheism and skepticism which great to know that I am not an outsider but actually is surrounded by ignorant religious people .

I love your podcasts. I listen using iTunes. Thought you might like to know that episodes 87 & 94 do not play correctly. They loop after a minute or two. I’ve been laid off & unable to contribute, else I would. My part time over load prevents me from being out of the atheist closet. Love the show. Thanks.

Dear SA crew, I was wondering something ever since I started listening. And believe me, it’s making my WIFI choke like Pat Robertson when he’s alone in a Thai bathroom with a ‘Jesus Saves’ necktie. I know a lot of people in the ‘public’ atheist community like you guys tend to use pseudonyms or disguises ala Armored Skeptic, Logicked, etc. I may be nuking this, but are your names punny pen-names? Noah Lugeons (No Illusions) and Heath Enright (Heathenry) seemed too poetic. It makes no difference to me, I still find you guys funnier than a trip through a creation science museum, but I’ve always been curious.

I love your podcast and thought I would share a sign I read in front of one of our local Cincinnati Baptist churches. Sign says “God may send a storm to prove he is the only shelter.” So I guess god is like an abusive boyfriend who gets you fired from your job to prove you can’t make it without him? Nice.

Rouche is not a men’s rights activist. He’s stated so himself several times. Please don’t couple a vapid human being like him with people who have legitimate complaints about society, just because you think their complaints aren’t valid. I get you guys are all in with the Feminism thing with Lucy, but at least don’t lie about shit when you are attempting to make accurate statements.
At the very least who ever passed on to you that Rouche is a MRA or MRM was misinformed you.

Thank you guys so much. Thank you for having on callie wright the gaytheist podcast. She helped keep me alive. People don’t realize that Christian ideas can kill. It nearly killed me. Thank you for being there.

Tim Minchin has weighed in with a song on getting that asshole Pell to come back to Oz to answer up for his part in the abuse of children here. The song Come Home (Cardinal Pell) on you tube pretty much sums up the feelings here about this turd and he needs to get here and fess up. No doubt he will use excuses like he did when questioned by Richard Dawkins on Q&A (ABC debate show) saying that “it was a metaphor”.

Hey Noah and company, love the show. Been with you since the first podcast.
I became a public school teacher two years ago, middle school math, and moved to North Carolina. I was interested in starting a Secular Teacher Alliance but thought I would research first to see if one already existed. I was disappointed to see that none did. But I was disturbed to come across this article. Thoughts? https://teach4theheart.com/how-to-share-your-faith-in-the-public-school/

I finally have the inspiration to lose weight I want there to be no chance anyone mistakes me for that fat orange narcissistic racist in the Whitehouse. Any suggestions minus the Noah Lugeuons cancer stick method?

Atheist Tithing Option:

In this week’s episode, Amazon stops recommending killing your child, Mike Pompeo refuses to grant a separate but equal press briefing for the secular media, and you won’t believe what Moses’s brother does with a calf. Learn more about International Atheist day here: http://www.atheistrepublic.com/atheist-day Come see Noah in Austin on 3/23\. Find info here: […]

In this week’s episode, Jenny Mccarthy will refuse to accept the existence of Denmark, Heath will make a pi joke for three math nerds, and George Pell will spend less time in prison that we’ve spent doing this show. --- For more info about American Atheists’ Annual convention, click here: https://www.aacon2019.org/ To make a per episode donation at Patreon.c […]

In this week’s episode, we’ll play a bunch of out of date headlines we recorded before we left for Denver, Eli and Heath will take advantage of Noah not being around to greenlight the final edit, and Tom and Cecil show up to help us prove that if you can’t say something nice about somebody it should act as no impediment to talking about them. --- Last chance […]

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